CR 400 - Advanced Agronomy

3 Credits

Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:

1. describe relationships between environmental variables and crop development, while examining diverse approaches and technologies for evaluating environmental conditions impacting crop growth and development
2. Examine technologies for quantifying and predicting variable environmental parameters related to crop growth.
3. Demonstrate an understanding in the application of genetic phenotyping to crop production.
4. Analyze the significance of agronomic data and production records in verified production systems, while identifying and choosing suitable data types for assessing production goals.
5.  Assess crop production strategies that utilize technology to satisfy environmental, social, and financial goals.
6. Solve problems using analysis, critical thinking, deductive reasoning, and troubleshooting skills in an individual and team environment; incorporate and model team building and teamwork skills.

There are no required textbooks or materials for this course.

Optional Resource Materials:

Reference Text

Zachariah, A. B. (2019). Precision Agriculture and the Future of Farming. Delve Publishing.

• This resource is available as an e-book through The Commons:

Additional resources will be provided on the Desire to Learn (D2L) course page during the semester.

Conduct of Course:
This course consists of lectures and labs. The scheduled class time may include lectures, guest speakers, group activities, field trip(s) and/or time to for group work.

Students are expected to complete assigned readings, watch or listen to any assigned videos and/or podcasts prior to each lecture. Students are also expected to complete course assignments outside of class time.

Labs provide an opportunity to apply course content. Attendance and completion of lab assignments is required to earn the associated grades.

The instructor holds open office hours. Students can make appointments to speak with the instructor outside of office hours, if needed. If emailing the instructor to request support related to the course, responses can be expected within 48 hours. Please plan accordingly.

Classroom and laboratory attendance is considered vital to the learning process and as significant to the students’ evaluation as examinations and reports.

1. Students having a combination of excused and/or unexcused absence of 20 percent or higher for the scheduled course hours are required to withdraw and automatically receive a “RW” (required withdrawal) for the course, regardless of any other evaluation results. (RW is a failing grade.).
2. An excused absence is one that is verified with your instructor. Verification should be prior to the absence or the next class day following the absence. Verification of the absence may take the form of a note from your doctor/College nurse regarding illness, or a note from another instructor regarding a field trip or other activity, or authorization by your instructor. An unexcused absence is anything NOT verified by the instructor prior to the absence or the next class day following the absence.

It is the students’ responsibility to know their own absentee record.

Normal hours are 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with potential for evening courses, exams or extended field trips. Students are expected to be available for classes during these times.

Content of Course:
Major course units include:

1. Crop growth factors and yield relationships
2. Technology for determining static crop growth factors.
3. Technology for determining variable crop growth factors.
4. Genetic phenotyping in crop production.
5. Data generation and management for verified production systems.
6. Selecting and managing agronomic data for systems evaluation.
7. Crop growth factor management strategies to achieve agronomic goals.

Students must maintain a cumulative grade of C (GPA - Grade Point Average of 2.00) in order to qualify to graduate.